I've played the original Munchkin and a couple of the expansions now, but I don't own any yet. I was about to buy one of the versions when a few of my friends suggested that I bring some games for a trip to a house at the ocean.. You know.. If the wheather stops us.

My question is which version to bring. Most of my friends are not the typical geeky D&D person. Is another game with more common references like Legends a better pick for these people, or does the original version hold up for these as well? What are your experiences?

I used to use original Munchkin whenever I introduced the game to a new group, but I recently found that Munchkin Booty works very well as an introductory game. I think it's because the jokes are not as specific to a particular movie or show as some of the other versions, and it requires no understanding of RPGs at all. You don't need to know anything specific about pirates to get the humor in this game.
Plus it has Ships and, in many cases, allows you to have more than one ship, which helps new players rack up higher bonuses and get further in the game. Booty has become the go-to game for me to get people into Munchkin.

I used to use original Munchkin whenever I introduced the game to a new group, but I recently found that Munchkin Booty works very well as an introductory game. I think it's because the jokes are not as specific to a particular movie or show as some of the other versions, and it requires no understanding of RPGs at all. You don't need to know anything specific about pirates to get the humor in this game.
Plus it has Ships and, in many cases, allows you to have more than one ship, which helps new players rack up higher bonuses and get further in the game. Booty has become the go-to game for me to get people into Munchkin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anh-Dalan

for the typical "hack-and-slay-D&D-type" of player Conan and Pathfinder might also offer some appeal.

Booty is a great intro if your players are fans of pirates.

Conan and Pathfinder are so heavily derived from the source material (especially Conan) that I'm not sure they're the best intro for brand spankin' new players.

Never start people with Apocalypse. That's just cruel. Let them learn the basic game before you start throwing Seals at them.

The best gateway Munchkin sets I know of, other than the original, are Legends and Zombies. Both tend to play quickly, both are of the zeitgeist, and I think the humor in both is solid. (I may be biased in the case of Legends.) I'll also put in a plug for Moop's Monster Mashup, which is balls-out STUPID and a hell of a lot of fun to play.

Really, though, the best Munchkin set to use for new players is the one they ask to play.